Mid Michigan musician shares 'life-enhancing' experience on The Voice

Todd Michael Hall shares 'life-enhancing' experience on The Voice

Todd Michael Hall of Saginaw is competing on The Voice on NBC. (Photo provided/Chris Haston, NBC)

Todd Michael Hall of Saginaw is competing on The Voice on NBC. (Photo provided/Chris Haston, NBC)

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Todd Michael Hall of Saginaw is competing on The Voice on NBC. (Photo provided/Chris Haston, NBC)

Todd Michael Hall of Saginaw is competing on The Voice on NBC. (Photo provided/Chris Haston, NBC)

Mid Michigan musician shares 'life-enhancing' experience on The Voice

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Todd Michael Hall grew up on the music of rock bands including Van Halen, REO Speedwagon and Queen, to name a few. Last week, the 50-year-old Saginaw resident stunned judges with his blind audition which aired Feb. 24 on NBC’s The Voice.

“It’s life-enhancing,” Hall said during a recent phone interview.

Hall began performing rock with his eldest brother’s band at the age of 15. He eventually joined New York-based hard rock band Riot V and has been the lead vocalist since 2013. He explained he tried out for The Voice out of a sense of curiosity as well as a way to get his music out to a broader audience.

“As a musician, your goal is to reach more people with your music,” he said.

By touring with Riot V, Hall traveled to venues around the world, performing six to eight shows a year, sometimes in front of crowds up to 20,000. Hall was mentally prepared for his blind audition in front of judges Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, John Legend and Blake Shelton. Hall was nervous during the stretch of silence which preceded his song as well as about the fact he was singing in front of the band instead of among them. He combatted that feeling with the mindset that this was a performance, not a competition; his music would reach thousands, if not millions, of people and anything that came after would be an extra blessing.

“Once the music kicks in and you start singing, the game is on,” he said.

Hall’s chosen song was Foreigner’s “Jukebox Hero,” which he has been singing since 1981. Each of the judges began jamming to the beat when he started singing and it only took Legend about 30 seconds to indicate he wanted Hall on his team. Nearly a minute later, Shelton also expressed a desire for Hall to be on his team and it was with him that Hall eventually chose to go.

“In the end, I got swayed by the fact that rock and country are closer than you think,” Hall said.

Each of the four celebrities will put together a team of 10 musicians to compete against each other. Hall joins members of Team Blake including Levi Watkins of Birmingham, Alabama, Todd Tilghman of Meridian, Mississippi and Toneisha Harris of Roswell, Georgia. During his time on The Voice, Hall has gotten to know and admire his teammates and the gifts they possess. He explained how it’s difficult to compare himself against them, likening it to judging apples alongside oranges.

“You’re going through this process together. There’s this camaraderie, like ‘Band of Brothers,’” he said.

Hall will advance to the battle rounds where he will face off with another member of Team Blake. The two musicians will sing a duet and will either advance, be eliminated, or snatched up by another coach.